Cream Ale Cream of Three Crops (Cream Ale)

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Any reason not to do this with maybe MO or Vienna? And an added late hop addition?

I don't have many BMC drinkers in my family but they'd probably drink something light if it had some character.
 
Try it as it is, if you wanted more character I'd do the late or dry hop addition. The malt & adjuncts here are a good starting point for any light beer. Maybe toast about 1/4-1/2 pound of the pale malt for 10-15 minutes at 350F.
 
Kegged this this weekend and tried it tonight. Not fully carbed yet, but man this is a tasty brew!
 
I just tasted mine tonight too. this is my second 10gallon batch. The first time I added a bit sugar and more rice. It was ok. This time I made it exactly as per recipe. Man what a difference. This stuff is pretty darn good.
 
I joined this forum specifically to thank Biermuncher for this wonderful recipe.

I made it for July Fourth party and it was cold and light and just right.

And what a fantastic way to get new homebrew converts!
 
FWIW I brought this brew by a local brewery (Southern Star here in Texas) and their brewmaster seemed legitimately impressed. They couldn't get over how light in color it was while still being really flavorful.
 
I joined this forum specifically to thank Biermuncher for this wonderful recipe.

I made it for July Fourth party and it was cold and light and just right.

And what a fantastic way to get new homebrew converts!

Wow.

I'm humbled. :eek:

I seem to be on the hook to keep this recipe (or slight variations) on tap full time now.
 
I have to have a keg ready for the big tailgate on the 28th, which my dad just informed me of yesterday and this just looked like the perfect recipe. It hurt to pay $20 bucks to get the ingredient at the lhbs, but when dad throws his credit card at something I jump (would have cost $12 bucks from brewmasterswarehouse).

So I'm thinking 2 week primary, secondary with gelatin for 2 days, and then hit it at about 30 psi for 2 days. Then I can kick it back to serving pressure and be ready to role the next day.

I was wondering though, I have hallertau, chinook, cascade and centennial on hand, would my best bet for hopping be to just hit it with an ounce of hallertau at 60 minutes. Couldn't do 4 dollars for an ounce for willamette, just would have hurt my constitution.

Thanks
 
I got a bunch of US Saaz recently and was considering this recipe with a czech beer hop profile. I like it with the willamette (brewed it twice) but thought since it's a ale disguised as a lager it might be quite tasty. Opinions?
 
I got a bunch of US Saaz recently and was considering this recipe with a czech beer hop profile. I like it with the willamette (brewed it twice) but thought since it's a ale disguised as a lager it might be quite tasty. Opinions?

Great minds think alike . . . .

I'm brewing a cream ale this weekend (if I can get over this damn flu) and am planning on using some Spalter organic hops that I have in the freezer. My thought process was similar to yours - a lagerish beer with a German style hop. Both Saaz and Spalter are "clean" and "mild", I think, with similar AA's and uses.
 
I got a bunch of US Saaz recently and was considering this recipe with a czech beer hop profile. I like it with the willamette (brewed it twice) but thought since it's a ale disguised as a lager it might be quite tasty. Opinions?

Saaz would be good in this beer.

This is the cool thing about homebrewing. Make the same basic beer over and over with just a change in hops. Brew this with saaz, hallertauer, tetnanger, liberty, perle. Then change gears in spring to english styles, like golding, fuggle, target and willamette. Summer pull out the citrus, cascade, centennial, summit, sorachi ace.

The hop flavor doesn't need to be big, just subtle enough to interesting from batch to batch.

BTW - Sorachi Ace and this beer during the summer would be kick-a$$. I have made several light hybrids with this hop and its awesome on a hot day.
 
Saaz would be good in this beer.

This is the cool thing about homebrewing. Make the same basic beer over and over with just a change in hops. Brew this with saaz, hallertauer, tetnanger, liberty, perle. Then change gears in spring to english styles, like golding, fuggle, target and willamette. Summer pull out the citrus, cascade, centennial, summit, sorachi ace.

The hop flavor doesn't need to be big, just subtle enough to interesting from batch to batch.

BTW - Sorachi Ace and this beer during the summer would be kick-a$$. I have made several light hybrids with this hop and its awesome on a hot day.


Exactly! In July, I brewed up a cream ale similar to this with Crystal hops.
 
Exactly! In July, I brewed up a cream ale similar to this with Crystal hops.

The key thing here is to keep the IBU on target, so the variation in AA doesn't really change the bitterness too much. Using a good scale and software helps in this arena.
 
The key thing here is to keep the IBU on target, so the variation in AA doesn't really change the bitterness too much. Using a good scale and software helps in this arena.

I'm aiming for 15 - 16 IBUs for an OG of 1.037. 1/2 ounce of Spalter (5.2% AA) at 60, 20 and 5 minutes gives me 15.8 IBU, according to BeerSmith.
 
Just finished up the brew day, didn't do a good job accounting for boil off and ended up at 1.054! Going to be a bit strong, but we'll see how it goes. Might have a tough time turning this around in three weeks like I was hoping.
 
Me and my son brewed 11 gallons last year.It was Okay. He had a case left since last year and brought some over , it was GREAT! I'm going to brew a batch and let it sit for the beginning of the summer. At least, that's my intention but I'm pretty impatient.
 
This looks like a really tasty brew. I would like to try it just wondering about the flaked corn..... Is that special for brewing or can you buy it somewhere else? Also I am thinking of maybe only using fuggles because of how many I have on hand right now. How do you think it would be with 2oz at 60 mins?
 
This looks like a really tasty brew. I would like to try it just wondering about the flaked corn..... Is that special for brewing or can you buy it somewhere else? Also I am thinking of maybe only using fuggles because of how many I have on hand right now. How do you think it would be with 2oz at 60 mins?
Fuggles will work great. Flaked corn has been pre gelatinized and is unique to homebrewing. Stick with the ingredients listed (except the fuggles of course) and you'll be golden.
:ban:
 
I'll be brewing this one either tomorrow or Saturday depending on how far along my yeast starter is. This is the first time I'll be using a starter and I'm hoping to have some good results.

Hopefully this beer will be ready to be handed around to the family during Christmas.
 
Any idea if sterling hops (6.0%) would turn out well in something like this?... recently, the wrong hops were purchased for me by accident. Been looking for a use... I have 2oz. I read online that the flavor is a cross between saaz and mt. hood which is right by what I've read, but the acid % is higher.
 
Brewing on Thursday, 5 gallons:
5.5lbs pale malt
2.0lbs flaked corn (finally found some... jeez)
1.5lbs minute rice
3oz. Crystal 80 (to bump the color juuuuuust a bit. Unless this sounds stupid)

1oz. Sterling 6.0% at 60min
0.5oz Sterling 6.0% at 15min
Nottingham yeast


Excited. This will be my 2nd AG... and for less than 10 bucks!:mug:
 
I have brewed 4 batches of this now (slight variations) and all I have left is the few six's I set back on the shelf and the batch in my secondary. it goes fast. This brew was the first keg to pop at my very first beer festival and the crowd sucked down two more at the next festival. Now my friends are brewing this one. I only wish I could make this less citrusy. Each batch has a distinct citrus quality from the hops that I would like to tone down just a bit.
 
I have brewed 4 batches of this now (slight variations) and all I have left is the few six's I set back on the shelf and the batch in my secondary. it goes fast. This brew was the first keg to pop at my very first beer festival and the crowd sucked down two more at the next festival. Now my friends are brewing this one. I only wish I could make this less citrusy. Each batch has a distinct citrus quality from the hops that I would like to tone down just a bit.

Glad to hear it's a hit and spreading around.
Maybe replace the Crystal hops with some Tett or hallertau will tone back the citrus that you're getting.
 
I brewed this on 11-18 and just moved it to the secondary today. I had 10 gallons split between two carboys. One carboy had krausen to the top and the other only formed a ring at beer level.I did use blow off tubes on them.My original sg was 1.061 and now on the high krausen its 1.007 on the lower one its 1.013. I added some of the trub from the high krausen to the the slow poke and I hope that it drops my sg a little lower. I plan to serve it up for my superbowl/birthday party and try to convert some of my bmc friends:mug: Thanks BierMuncher for the great recipes.
 
Who is a good source for flaked corn? What does anyone thing about using corn starch in place
 
Who is a good source for flaked corn? What does anyone thing about using corn starch in place

No. Corn starch and water make a paste. It's used to thicken sauces in cooking. It would be like using very finely ground flour instead of wheat malt.

Other than a lhbs or a online brew store, I don't know where you would get the corn. I got mine at the lbhs.
 
Who is a good source for flaked corn? What does anyone thing about using corn starch in place

Corn starch works fine in a mash. I've used it instead of flaked corn for some time now. It goes in like a marshmallow and then almost instantly dissolves- no thickening at all.

You don't have to take my word for it though. Just pick up a copy of "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing" by Charlie Papazian and read what he says about it.
He also has recipe called Amaizeing ale which uses 1lb. corn starch.
 
That is remarkable, I would never, after having used it in cooking, thought it would work in a mash- way too gummy. Thanks for sharing your experience! That's one new thing learned today :)

Corn starch works fine in a mash. I've used it instead of flaked corn for some time now. It goes in like a marshmallow and then almost instantly dissolves- no thickening at all.

You don't have to take my word for it though. Just pick up a copy of "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing" by Charlie Papazian and read what he says about it.
He also has recipe called Amaizeing ale which uses 1lb. corn startch.
 
So I'm brewing this on Sunday with my new AG set up. I just got 1 pound of Cascade, Northern Brewer, and US Goldings. What out of those would you guys suggest for this? I plan to hop to the same IBU as the recipe calls for. I'm going to use 2.2 lbs of flaked corn, how much rice would you suggest? Also, I plan on using 7.5 lbs of 2 row, and I'm using Notti re-hydrated.
 
So I'm brewing this on Sunday with my new AG set up. I just got 1 pound of Cascade, Northern Brewer, and US Goldings. What out of those would you guys suggest for this? I plan to hop to the same IBU as the recipe calls for. I'm going to use 2.2 lbs of flaked corn, how much rice would you suggest? Also, I plan on using 7.5 lbs of 2 row, and I'm using Notti re-hydrated.

I'd save your Cascade for a hoppier recipe. Plus, it's just a bit too citrusy and that's not what this beer is about. I'd go with either the NB or the Goldings...whichever has the highest Alpha %. The hops in this beer are strictly for clean bittering.
 
I'd save your Cascade for a hoppier recipe. Plus, it's just a bit too citrusy and that's not what this beer is about. I'd go with either the NB or the Goldings...whichever has the highest Alpha %. The hops in this beer are strictly for clean bittering.

ok, My NB are 8.9%, so I only need .50 oz at 60 mins to achieve 15.2 IBU's. Does that sound right? To me it just seems strange to only have .50 oz of hops in a 5 gal batch. It's probably just in my head.
 
I'm brewing my third batch of this right now. My first keg of this is about ready to kick. I bottled the second batch for later.
 
Just an update on my brew. I brewed this using 8lbs 2 row, 2.25 lbs flaked corn, and 1.25 lbs minute rice. Mashed at 153 for 90 mins. I used .5 oz of NB 8.9%. The day went really smooth, and my OG was 1.051. It has been in the carboy for 8 days now and it is at 1.011. All the samples so far have been good and I can't wait to start drinking this one.:tank:
 
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